1.5M Dehumidifiers Recalled Tied To Nearly Two Dozen Fires: Feds

ACROSS AMERICA — More than 1.5 million dehumidifiers have been recalled that were sold at major retailers nationwide and were reported to have started nearly two dozen fires, federal regulators said Wednesday.

The recall involves 42 models of dehumidifiers under the brand names Kenmore, GE, SoleusAir, Norpole and Seabreeze, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said in a recall notice. The units were sold at Home Depot, Lowe's, Menards, Sam's Club, Sears, Walmart and other stores nationwide, starting in 2011 through 2014.

Gree Electric Appliances, of Zhuhai, China, has received reports of at least 23 fires, 688 incidents of overheating, and $168,000 in property damage with the recalled dehumidifiers, federal regulators said.

"The dehumidifiers can overheat, smoke, and catch fire, posing fire and burn hazards to consumers," the safety commission said.

The latest recall is separate from another recall involving the same company, in which other dehumidifiers made by Gree could overheat, smoke, and catch fire, leading to serious injury or death, the commission said in a release.

"There have been reports of four deaths potentially associated with Gree dehumidifiers, all involving adults who died from house fires that may have been caused by recalled dehumidifiers," safety regulators warned of the separate recall. One death occurred in 2016 in Ohio, and another occurred last year in Iowa, the safety commission said. Two more deaths occurred last year in Missouri.

in the latest recall, regulators said the products were manufactured between January 2011 and February 2014, and sold for between $110 and $400, regulators said. The recalled model numbers are listed below.

The brand name and pint capacity are printed on the back, front, or side of the dehumidifier. The model number and date code are printed on a sticker on the back, front, or side of the unit. The dehumidifiers are white, beige, gray or black plastic and measure from 19-24 inches tall, 13-15 inches wide, and 9-11 inches deep.

Anyone with the product should "immediately stop use, unplug the dehumidifiers, and contact Gree to receive a refund," the safety commission said.

The recall was first announced in September 2013, updated a year later, expanded in 2014, re-announced later that year, and re-announced again in 2016.

Kenmore

• Model number: 407.53530310
• Capacity: 30-pint

• Model number: 407.53550310
• Capacity: 50-pint

• Model number: 407.53570310
• Capacity: 70-pint

• Model number: 407.53571310
• 70-pint

GE

• Model number: ADEH50LPQ1
• Capacity: 50-pint

• Model number: ADEH50LQQ1
• Capacity: 50-pint

• Model number: ADEH50LRL1
• Capacity: 50-pint

• Model number: ADEL30LRQ1
• Capacity: 30-pint

• Model number: ADEL50LRL1
• Capacity: 50-pint

• Model number: ADEL70LRL1
• Capacity: 70-pint

• Model number: ADER30LPQ1
• Capacity: 30-pint

• Model number: ADER30LQQ1
• Capacity: 30-pint

• Model number: ADER40LPQ1
• Capacity: 40-pint

• Model number: ADER40LQQ1
• Capacity: 40-pint

• Model number: ADER50LPQ1
• Capacity: 50-pint

• Model number: ADER50LQQ1
• Capacity: 50-pint

• Model number: ADER50LRL1
• Capacity: 50-pint

• Model number: ADER50LSL1 (with date code 01/14)
• Capacity: 50-pint

• Model number: ADER65LPQ1
• Capacity: 65-pint

• Model number: ADER65LQQ1
• Capacity: 65-pint

• Model number: ADER70LRL1
• Capacity: 70-pint

• Model number: ADEW30LPQ1
• Capacity: 30-pint

• Model number: ADEW30LQQ1
• Capacity: 30-pint

• Model number: ADEW50LPQ1
• Capacity: 50-pint

• Model number: ADEW50LQQ1
• Capacity: 50-pint

• Model number: ADEW50LRL1
• Capacity: 50-pint

• Model number: ADEW65LPQ1
• Capacity: 65-pint

• Model number: ADEW65LQQ1
• Capacity: 65-pint

• Model number: ADEW70LRL1
• Capacity: 70-pint

SoleusAir

• Model number: GL-DEH-45F-2Q3
• Capacity: 45-pint

• Model number: GL-DEH-70EIP-6L3
• Capacity: 70-pint

• Model number: GL-DEH-70F-2L3
• Capacity: 70-pint
• Model number: GM-DEH-30M-1Q3
• Capacity: 30-pint

• Model number: GM-DEH-45-1Q3
• Capacity: 45-pint

• Model number: GM-DEH-70-1L3
• Capacity: 70-pint

• Model number: SG-DEH-25-4
• Capacity: 25-pint

• Model number: SG-DEH-30E-1Q3
• Capacity: 30-pint

• Model number: SG-DEH-45E-1Q3
• Capacity: 45-pint

• Model number: SG-DEH-70E-1L3
• Capacity: 70-pint

• Model number: SG-DEH-70E-2L3
• Capacity: 70-pint

Seabreeze

• Model number: DH470SB
• Capacity: 70-pint

Norpole

• Model number: NPDH30PG-1
• Capacity: 30-pint